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Toronto Celebrates 15th Annual Day of Friendship with Cuba

On August 28, the 15th annual Toronto-Cuba Friendship Day was held at Nathan Phillips square in front of Toronto City Hall. Front and centre were banners calling for the liberation of the five Cuban heroes imprisoned in the United States and an end to the illegal economic, commercial and financial blockade by the U.S. Present were Cuba solidarity activists, the Juan Gualberto Gómez Association of Cubans and many friends and supporters of the Cuban people and their Revolution. Cuban Ambassador to Canada, Her Excellency Teresita Vicente, delivered the main speech, in which she expressed sincere appreciation for the solidarity and friendship with Cuba in Canada.

Also present were the Vice President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) Basilio Gutiérrez García and Raul Cardoso Cabrera, also from ICAP, as well as Antonio Rodríguez Varcárcel, Minister-Counsellor of the Embassy of Cuba and Jorge Soberon, Consul General of Cuba, based in Toronto, among other officials of the Cuban Diplomatic Mission. The President of the Canadian Cuban Friendship Association of Toronto, Elizabeth Hill, said the growing ties between the Cuban and Canadian people are shown by the visit to Cuba of more than 900,000 people from Canada in 2009. Tony Ruprecht, Member of Provincial Parliament for Davenport, recognized the admiration of Canadians for Cuba and in particular the profound dignity that characterizes the people. He read a message of friendship from the Premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty. The event also saw the raising of the Cuba flag, the singing of the Cuban national anthem, as well as Cuban music, dancing and food, to the delight of the hundreds of participants and passers-by.